Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 May 2019
82. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to concerns by cancer patients in County Donegal travelling to a hospital (details supplied) in the context of a hard Brexit; the steps that have been taken to ensure patients having to travel to Northern Ireland will not have their cancer treatment interrupted by Brexit-related events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20166/19]
View answerThe provision of radiotherapy services to cancer patients from County Donegal at the North West Cancer Centre in Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Derry, is underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and a Service Level Agreement (SLA).
A Steering Group, to provide strategic oversight of the service, and a Monitoring Group, to review performance information and to monitor the effectiveness of the service, are in place in line with the MOU and SLA. Brexit is an agenda item for meetings of these groups, and the NI and RoI representatives are committed to the continuation of the current cross-border arrangements for radiotherapy services to cancer patients. The situation will continue to be monitored over the coming months.
